Hinata woke up early to head into the greenhouse for some light studying. The final stage of the chuunin exam took place tomorrow and, as she stated, she was refraining from hard exercise in order to be well-rested for her matches.
Her eyedrops had proven to clear up eye strain within two to three days if taken three times each day, six hours apart. After making that discovery, she had quickly began making more and setting aside a vial for each byakugan user in the compound as well as a few vials for Itachi, should he choose to visit soon. She missed him.
Haku still hadn't gotten back to her with any plant that could successfully suppress the immune system, but he had sent plenty of updates on his whereabouts. His letter had mentioned a rumor about a certain flower that could supposedly do such a thing; he promised to keep her updated. Hinata was thankful to have a friend like Haku. She even invited him to watch their matches but he said that he was too far to make it back in time for them, but would be there after.
Over the past month, she's improved her abilities and even created some of her own variations of moves passed down within the main branch of the Hyuuga clan. This part of the exam was her time to show everyone what she was truly capable of, especially her Elders who were going to be attending. Tomorrow was when she was going to show them that she was leading their clan, no matter what.
Hinata paused in her studies as she heard someone approaching. "Hinata-sama?" It was Neji.
She turned around and smiled once he came into view. "Brother," she greeted. "You're up early."
He tilted his head with a teasing smile. "I should be saying that to you. I wanted to spend some time with you before your date with Sasuke," he said.
She gestured to the chair and he took a seat. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked.
"Definitely. And once I win my match, I'll be facing you," he replied seriously. "I won't hold back just because it's you."
"I would expect nothing less."
Neji looked around the greenhouse and noted all the scattered papers, dried herbs, and the chemical set. "You're working very hard, Hinata-sama. I heard about the medication you made for eye strain. I've overheard many members singing your praises. The Elders can't say much against you because of it," he shared. "I think this had made many people come to your side."
Hinata looked at the extra vials on her desk. "That isn't the reason I did it, but I'm very happy that it's having that effect. If I want to ensure my position as Heiress, I'm going to need people on my side," she admitted. She loathed thinking about her fellow clansmen as pawns, but their support was needed. She needed to only think of it like that. As future support.
"One day, they will not be able to argue with your strength. They'll be even less likely once you're officially married," he pointed out.
"Yes, you're right." She turned back to her research on Lee's condition and sighed softly. "Have you been to see Lee-san?"
"I went last week. He's physically doing better, but even I can see that he's not emotionally well." He took the notes she handed him. "What's this?"
"I went to check up on him about a month ago and discovered fragments of bone lodged into his spine. It's the reason he's unable to continue on as a shinobi. I researched a surgery that was capable of removing those fragments, but the medic informed me that there was no one skilled enough to perform that surgery," she explained. "As it is, the surgery only has about a fifty percent chance of being successful, and I don't believe that's good enough."
Neji flipped through her notes as he listened. "Hinata-sama, this research is very well done. You did all of this for Lee?" She nodded. "But why? You don't know him very well."
Hinata fiddled with her fingers. "I just…understand his need to improve himself. His desire to be a shinobi and protect those he loves," she replied. "I see a lot of my team in him. And I am a medic. Whether I know him well or not, there's no way I wouldn't do my best to help him."
Neji smiled and handed the research back. "Thank you. For caring so much, thank you."
She returned his smile and they sunk into a comfortable silence.
As soon as Sasuke woke up, he began getting ready for his date. A week ago, he thought about making reservations at another fancy restaurant but then decided that something simple would be better. They spent a lot of their time being prim and proper, so having fun was something that interested both of them.
This first task was to pick up sandwiches, then dessert, and finally flowers before getting Hinata. From there, they would make their way to the private Hyuga training grounds for privacy. When the sun began to set, and with Hiashi's permission to stay out a little later, he had a plan to go to the Hokage mountain and possibly hold her. He'd love to kiss her, but he knew it was too soon to do that. He didn't want to scare her off.
With Naruto confessing to her, he felt slightly uneasy…as though they were a bit more distant now, but he knew that was just his mind playing tricks. His real problems stemmed from his older brother, and it was a rough road to overcoming them, but he was determined to not let Itachi get into his head when it came to his and Hinata's relationship.
"Sasuke?" His mother called out. He had been cooking them breakfast when she came out in her nightgown.
"Good morning, mother," he said. "Did you sleep well?"
She took a seat at the table and smiled at him warmly. "You seem pretty chipper," she replied.
"Well, I'm going on a date with Hinata today."
Mikoto giggled. "It seems your relationship is going well. I'm glad. I was worried."
Sasuke set her plate in front of her. "What was there to be worried about? We've been good friends for years," he asked. He took his own plate and sat across from her.
"I just mean, you know, after…Itachi, I was afraid the Hyuuga Clan was going to change their mind about trusting our clan," she admitted. "I wouldn't have blamed them. As much as I love my son, he caused quite a bit of trouble for this village and our clan."
Sasuke held back a sigh. "Hiashi-sama is more concerned with peace than vengeance. He warned me that any slight against his daughter was going to be taken personally, but I know Hinata vouched for us. You don't have to worry about the contract. It's going to be fulfilled," he assured her.
Mikoto reached over and held his hand. "You're a good boy, Sasuke. A terrific shinobi, a wonderful son, and you're going to make a great Clan Head." Her eyes were now filled with tears. "I know there's a lot on your shoulders, and I'm sorry I can't be the mother I used to be."
He shook his head. "You're doing nothing wrong, mother. There's nothing for you to worry about. I'm happy with my life. Sure, I wish Itachi was here and that you weren't suffering so much, but we have to make do with what we have now. I'm okay. Don't worry about me."
"You shouldn't have had to grow up this fast," she expressed.
"Mother, I'm going to bring him home. Just wait a bit longer, okay?"
Mikoto smiled tearfully and nodded. "Okay. I'll leave it to you, then."
He wasn't going to forgive Itachi for a very long time for making their mother cry and he was going to make sure he spent the rest of his life making it up to her. He was going to push Itachi to his knees in front of their mother, it was a promise to himself.
They ate breakfast in a warm silence before he got up to wash the dishes. His mother put a hand out, stopping him.
"I'll clean up, honey. You go get ready for your date," she said.
Sasuke kissed his mother's head. "Thank you. I'll be home later," he said before rushing up to his room and looking in his closet for some nicer clothes than his standard attire.
Naruto was on his way to the hospital when he ran into Shikamaru carrying a fruit basket.
"Hey, Shikamaru!" Naruto called out. The Nara turned to him and waved. "What's with the basket?"
Shikamaru held it up. "I'm taking it to Choji in the hospital. Dude ate too much and is now really paying for it," he chuckled.
Naruto laughed. "That makes sense. Let's walk together. I'm on my way to visit Lee actually. Hinata told me he was having a real tough time lately, so I wanted to check in."
"I was gonna stop by his room, too," the Nara sighed. "I heard she found a great surgery for him but that unable to do it."
"She did mention that. Maybe we should invite her with us or something," the blonde suggested.
"Nah, she told me yesterday that she was going on a date with Sasuke today."
Naruto sighed softly but shrugged it off. "We'll just tell him she said hi, but I guess we probably shouldn't mention the surgery. There's no use in getting his hopes up for something that won't be able to happen anyways."
Shikamaru agreed and they continued on their walk to the hospital in idle conversation. They talked a bit about their training and how they're feeling about the final stage tomorrow. When Naruto asked about his opponent from Suna, he was shocked to see that Shikamaru knew nothing about her other than what he'd seen that day at ther preliminaries.
"Dude, you're in for a tough fight," Naruto sighed.
"Well, it's not like I have a byakugan or anything to search for her and spy."
"Sure, but you also could've asked Hinata for help," he pointed out.
Shikamaru's shoulders slumped. "Aw, man, you're right. Damn it," he huffed. When they entered the hospital, they were surprised to see the front of the building empty. "Where's the staff?"
Naruto looked around and didn't even see any patients waiting. "This is pretty odd. What are the odds everyone's on a lunch break?" He asked.
"Slim. C'mon, let's see Lee and give him some of this fruit before we go see Choji."
They walked down the hall toward the taijutsu specialist's room—Shikamaru explained that Lee's room was on the way, just one hall over—and both noted that it felt very…cold for some odd reason.
"I don't like the way it feels in here," Naruto eventually said.
"You're overthinking it." They stopped in front of Lee's room and froze. The killing intent coming from the inside of the room was palpable. Naruto took his position behind his friend, taking the fruit basket out of his hands and setting it down on the floor quietly. Slowly, they crept into the room and were appalled to see Gaara standing over Lee with his sand slithering all over their friend's body.
Shikamaru held up a hand sign and his shadow stretched across the floor and connected with Gaara's just before the Suna nin could complete his objective. They saw the look of shock in his eyes when he realized he couldn't move.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Naruto demanded. He went to punch him but decided against it as Shikamaru's shadow was still keeping him in place and he didn't want to injure his friend. "Attacking someone when they can't even defend themselves, is that how you do it in Suna? Because that kinda crap doesn't fly here in this village!"
"I was going to kill him," Gaara replied simply. There wasn't a hint of remorse or any other kind of emotion in his eyes or his voice.
"Beating him during the prelims wasn't good enough?" Shikamaru asked. "Are you holding some kind of grudge against him or something?"
"It's nothing as complicated as that. I have no problem with him. I just want to kill him, that's all." The calm in his voice shocked the two genin. Naruto's fists shook with anger at how nonchalantly he was being about taking someone's life just because he felt like it.
"That's absolutely crazy, you damn psycho!" Naruto yelled.
"Yeah. What the hell kind of an answer is that?" Shikamaru added. "If you think we're just gonna stand by and let you do your thing, you're wrong, you sicko."
The Nara knew right off the bat that they were outmatched. If the Suna nin were to make a move against them, it was clear that they weren't going to be able to fight him off and that worried him. When he saw his fight against Rock Lee, he knew then that this kid was on another level. His complete disregard for killing and how emotionless he was drove that point home.
"If you don't get out of my way, I won't hesitate to kill you both as well."
Naruto growled. "Yeah? Let's just see you try!" He challenged.
Shikamaru turned to him. "Hey, whoa, take it easy!" He scolded. "Look, it'll be two against one, and Naruto and I are even stronger than we were before. If you leave quietly, I'll let it slide."
Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Don't make me repeat myself."
Naruto took a step forward. "And don't make me repeat myself, damn it!"
"Naruto, stop it. This dude's a damn demon, you saw what he's capable of. Don't just rush into this blindly!"
Naruto scoffed. "A demon. Well, I got the real thing inside of me, don't worry about that. I'll show him a demon if he wants to attack defenseless people like some kind of coward!" Naruto argued.
"A demon?" Gaara hummed. "I have a real one, too." Naruto and Shikamaru remained quiet. "From the time I was born—"
"Oh, God, we're gonna be here for a while," Naruto mumbled, causing Shikamaru to elbow him in the side.
"—I guess you could say that my life wasn't exactly a happy one. When I came into this world, I took the life of the woman some might call my mother. So I could become the strongest shinobi, my father used his ninjutsu on me… and that was when I became possessed by the Sand Spirit. I was born a monster," he explained.
Naruto and Shikamaru both shared the same expression of bewilderment.
"The name of the demon is Shukaku, the living wraith of an old monk from Sunagakure who was sealed inside a tea caldron."
"To use that kind of thing on a baby in the womb, they must've been completely out of their minds," Shikamaru said, his voice just barely shaking from fear. "What kind of a father would do that to their own child, someone they're supposed to love?"
Off to the side, Naruto's mind was running a mile a minute thinking about the fact that another jinchuuriki could be standing right there in front of him, consumed by hatred and a complete monster. He briefly wondered if he would've turned out the same if it weren't for his loving parents and friends. How could Gaara become something like this?
"Love?" Gaara said. "Don't measure me by your standards. Let me tell you what kind of ties I have to my family. They're ties of hatred, ties of murderous intent. My family is nothing but lumps of flesh."
"Ties of…hatred?" Naruto said aloud, dismayed by such a thought. He couldn't imagine hating his family so much that he'd want to kill them.
"Nourished with the life of my mother, I was created to be the salvation of the village… as I am the Kazekage's son. It was from him that I learned the innermost secrets of the shinobi. I was spoiled, over-protected, and left to my own devices. I guess you could say I thought that's what love actually was, but then that one incident happened…"
"What incident?" Shikamaru asked. Truthfully, he mostly cared about keeping this genin occupied. He wouldn't hurt Lee or them if he was busy talking, but he was interested to know more about how Gaara came to be this emotionless killing machine.
Gaara smirked crazily, his eyes showing nothing but malice and psychotic tendencies they could only imagine he wanted to carry out. "Six years ago, when I turned six, and ever since then, my father has tried countless times to have me murdered!"
"What?!" They exclaimed in unison.
"That doesn't make sense," Shikamaru noted. "You just said he spoiled you and protected you!"
"People fear those who come to be too strong. Born through such a jutsu, my mind was unstable. I guess the idiots in my village eventually realized that I had an emotional problem. I was created by the Kazekage to be the ultimate weapon for the village, but I was also a dangerous, fearsome presence to those around me. By the time I was six, the village was already absolutely terrified of me. They treated me politely only because they were frightened by me."
Naruto thought back to their very first encounter when that Kankuro guy and Temari girl were basically shaking with terror when he showed up. That it was clear he was their leader despite being older than him by at least a couple of years.
"I suppose you could say that I failed to do what was expected of me, what my purpose was for even being alive," he smirked. "There was no reason for me to even be alive, so why not just disappear? I thought about it over and over and over again, but I didn't have an answer for a very long time. Surviving without a purpose, not fulfilling any duties you were meant to do, is the same as being dead."
At that, Naruto took a step back. He understood that feeling all too well. Back when he was still figuring things out, living in his father's shadow, great things were expected from him from the beginning, and even living up to the Uzumaki name… but there was nothing solid he genuinely felt like pursuing. It felt like he was just walking aimlessly in the dark, with no sound or light to guide him. He felt lost and as though nothing he ever did was going to be good enough. After all, his father was the Hokage and great things were expected of him. He and Gaara… had something in common. Some more than demons inside of them.
"The answer I eventually came to was that I was to be someone who killed others. After living in fear of never knowing when my father was going to succeed in murdering me, I am finally calm. When I was killing those who were sent to kill me, it became clear to me that doing so was my reason for living. I live fighting for myself and loving only myself. And if others in this world exist only to remind me of that, there's nothing more I need. As long as there are others to kill who can make me feel this happiness to be alive, I will never disappear."
Shikamaru's jaw nearly hit the floor at this insane declaration.
Naruto felt shock and sadness. While he had his parents and his friends, Gaara had nothing but a father who created him only to turn around and try to kill him and a village who scorned him. He knew there was a world, another Naruto, who could've grown up like him. Someone who killed in order to live. They were similar, but also completely different.
He took another step back, shaking in fear at the realization that he couldn't beat Gaara when sand suddenly began swirling around them. Despite Shikamaru's shadow possession jutsu, his sand was clearly still able to move. Naruto could do nothing but stand there frozen with utter fear.
"Naruto, hey! Pull yourself together, damn it!" Shikamaru snapped. "Crap, how troublesome!"
Gaara smiled a bloodthirsty grin, one filled with hate and excitement. "Now, let me feel it! Let me feel that rush of being alive!" His sand shot down toward them and they prepared themselves for it.
"That's enough!" Someone called from the doorway. "Are you all really impatient that you can't wait until tomorrow?" It was Guy-sensei. As soon as Gaara's eyes landed on Guy, he clutched his head in pain and his eyes glazed over as though he was remembering something painful. The sand around the room began to retract back into his gourd as he groaned in pain.
Without another word, the Suna nin walked toward the door wincing at the pain coming from his head. Only then did he stop and look back at all of them. "I will kill all of you, no matter what." And then he left, and they could do nothing but watch him.
"He's…not lying," Naruto said shakily.
Guy sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner," he said as he went to his student's bedside and checked over him. "I take it that fruit outside was for Lee?"
"Some of it, yeah. The rest was for my teammate," Shikamaru replied. "Man, that was intense and crazy…and I can see why he's like that."
"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "It's really eye-opening. If he'd had people around him, like…" I did, "then maybe he would've been fine."
"It's not good to dwell or compare yourself," Guy said quietly. "He is who he is and you are who you are. That's it."
Naruto knew he was right, but he still couldn't help but wonder what could've been if his parents weren't with him and he was still housing the fox demon. Would his own village hate him as well? What about now, if they knew, would they still like him as much as they did now?
It was terrifying, thinking about what-ifs.
Sasuke arrived at the Hyuuga Compound with a basket filled with their food and drinks and a bouquet of sunflowers and was currently waiting for his date to come out. He felt weird being dressed in regular pants and a t-shirt, but he thought it complimented him pretty well. The door finally opened and he was greeted by Hinata wearing a high ponytail—he felt pleased to see the special clip he'd given her still in her hair—and a dark blue blouse and cream-color skirt that went down to her shins. The shoes she had chosen gave her a bit more height and matched colors with her top.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," she said with a gentle smile. "You look very handsome."
This kicked Sasuke into gear and he cleared his throat. "Thank you. You look very beautiful," he replied. He held the sunflowers out to her and she gasped in awe as she took them.
"These are gorgeous! Let me go have them put it in water for me." He smiled to himself as he watched her run off. After a hard month of constant training and only seeing her for a bit each evening, it was relaxing to be able to take her out and spend the whole day with her.
"Are you ready?" He asked when she returned, an arm held out for her to take.
"Yes. What's the plan?"
"I thought it'd be nice to go to the Hyuga training grounds for more privacy while we eat," he explained as he held up the basket. "I also asked your father for permission to keep you out a little later, so I thought we'd watch the sunset together. How does that sound?"
"That sounds wonderful."
Sasuke smiled down at her as they walked, taking in her side profile. With her hair up, it complimented her jawline and put emphasis on her ears which he thought were too cute to keep hidden behind a curtain of her hair. From the time they were young, and even if he didn't want to admit it, he always thought she was cute. Now, he thought she was beautiful and really growing into her features.
Hinata caught him staring and laughed. "What?" She asked.
He shrugged in response. "Just happy to be here like this with you."
She shoved him gently with her shoulder. "You really are a softie sometimes, aren't you?"
"Eh, only when it comes to you," he answered. "But don't go telling anyone that, because I'll deny it." Hinata giggled and held onto his arm a little tighter as they arrived at the training grounds.
"Do you happen to have the key or are we jumping over?" She asked, looking up at the tall fence.
He scoffed. "Do you really even need to ask?" Without another word, they both jumped high and while Hinata flipped over the top (careful to tuck her legs due to her skirt), Sasuke didn't want to risk losing their food or drinks so he settled for landing at the top and then jumping down on the other side and landing next to his date.
"So, what are we eating?" She asked excitedly. Being on a strict diet her whole life made her absolutely love food and Sasuke didn't mind her eating as much as she wanted. She wasn't afraid to be herself near him or her teammates.
"I picked up some sandwiches from one of your favorite shops and even got some dessert. That jelly-filled pastry you like for some reason, and some juice," he explained as he opened the basket and they took a seat under a tree for shade.
"You know me so well," she sighed happily.
"You're basically an open book to me." He pulled out a wrapped sandwich and handed it to her. It was nearing noon and the sun was hitting a little hotter, but the shade from the tree was helping them and they trained outside constantly. He took out a thermos and a small cup and filled it with tea before handing that to her as well. She thanked him and unwrapped her sandwich.
They ate in comfortable silence.
Neji looked to be meditating in the dojo with his byakugan activated when Hanabi found him. She observed him for a moment, noting the pensive look on his face before taking a seat across from him with her knees drawn to her chest.
"What are you doing?" She asked, tilting her head to show her curiosity.
Neji didn't move a single inch as he spoke. "Well, Hinata-sama is on a date with that Uchiha, so I'm just…keeping an eye on her," he answered.
Hanabi sighed tiredly. "Spying on sister? She's not gonna like that."
He opened his eyes at that. "That's why she's not going to find out, right? I'm only looking out for her."
His little cousin remained silent for a few moments longer, seemingly in thought before she shot to her feet with a mischievous smile. "Well, let's go get a closer look then!" She pulled on Neji's arm.
"Hinata-sama's sensing abilities will prevent that from working. That's why I'm using the byakugan," he pointed out. "I didn't want to risk her finding me."
Hanabi laughed. "It'll just be from a distance!" Neji allowed himself to be dragged, feigning annoyance and reluctance when he never much wanted to get closer in case the Uchiha tried something on his precious cousin.
Hideyoshi Hyuuga stared down at one of the branch Hyuuga members who bowed before him. "You're to spy on the Hyuuga Heiress for the duration of her date. Should she do anything unseemly, report back to me straight away," he ordered.
The branch member, Shou Hyuuga, though supportive of their heiress, could not go against any orders given by the Elders. In the end, he would have to carry out his orders or refuse and spend the rest of the day in the infirmary while they got someone else to do it. He was determined to keep his heiresses' secrets, no matter what they may be. He trusted her to behave properly, in the end.
"Yes, Hyuuga-sama," he said. Once he was dismissed, he immediately disappeared from the compound and quickly located his future leader at the Hyuuga's private training grounds. Other than her and Sasuke, he was surprised to see Neji and Hanabi also heading toward the same location. Rather than risk running into them, he went around the long way to end up on the other side of the training grounds.
Spying on his heiress felt wrong. She had done many wonderful things for the clan despite her young age. She made many medications and creams and gave them out without expecting anything in return. When someone was sick or injured, she made house calls to see what she could heal with her knowledge of medical ninjutsu. If it was something she was not familiar with, she would study and figure it out in order to help.
Hinata Hyuuga had more than proven that she was capable of leading the clan toward great things. Toward harmony.
He chuckled softly to himself when he thought about the name her team was called. Team Harmony. It was fitting.
After finishing their dessert, they sat against the tree. Though the rough bark of the surface was poking them through their clothes, they didn't mind in the least. It was nice to just sit together without having to fill the air with any kind of noise.
Hinata stared out into the far sky, thinking of her life and the situation she was currently experiencing. Her training with Minato's signature move had been slow going but she felt she was closer to sending a scroll through. Fuinjutsu had never been her strong suit, but her personal training with Kushina had not been for nothing. She was much better at it than before. She felt she was at least on the same level as Sasuke, but they were not as skilled at it as Naruto.
She thought about Itachi as well and when she would next see him again. She had more information on his illness that she wanted to pass along as they were in a critical stage. Haku had sent word to her that he had discovered a plant that did what she wanted without her having to add any other property to it. He promised to get ahold of it and send it to her in abundance. All she had to do was wait. For Haku. And for Itachi.
Her eyes moved to the leaves blowing across the training field as the wind blew to the west. It was so much like a dance that it seemed as though she was watching water move through the air rather than leaves. It was graceful and elegant in a way she didn't think she could copy, no matter how skilled she was due to her position. She tilted her head as she thought more about it and her own flexibility. If she coupled it with a variation of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, she could possibly create another one of her own jutsu.
She leaned her head back against the tree with a small smirk on her face. Maybe Sasuke would want to spar a bit later.
Sasuke thanked the Gods that Hinata never once looked over at him as he'd spent the better part of this date staring at the side of her face. The sun wasn't directly shining on them due to the tree, but there were streaks of sunlight peeking through the leaves that caught her cheek, her lips, her collarbone, and occasionally an eye if she happened to shift to the right.
Her hair which was indigo was much lighter in the sun, closer to lilac when the sun was at its highest. Her skin which was clear with maybe a blemish here or there shimmered stunningly because of her personal moisturizer that shared the same scent of lavender and vanilla she used in her salves. It was Sasuke's favorite scent, the only one that could calm him down after a nightmare or from any anger he experienced, other than the scent of familiarity that his mother gave off.
He looked at her white eyes that gave a pearlescent hue if one was close enough to recognize it. It was more visible under the light of the moon. He had only had a few moments in which he experienced that himself, moments that he could count on one had. He looked forward to spending the rest of his life losing count of how many times he was able to do that.
Her hands which were clasped loosely around one another and settled against her skirt were gentle to those she cared about but could also be used to protect those same people. Such caring hands that could kill someone with a single touch left him in awe. Before, to him, hands that looked and seemed gentle were weak while hands like Itachi's or himself—scarred, calloused, and rough to the touch—were superior. After spending so much time with the young girl sitting next to him, he grew to appreciate her fighting style more and more.
He wasn't sure when it started. Perhaps it was when they sparred for the very first time under the supervision of Itachi. When his leg grew numb from a barely noticeable touch from her. Maybe it was the way he watched as she held her tears back underneath her wrapped eyes after learning of her mother's death. Maybe it was the way she had been able to listen to him no matter what he spoke of and the way she could sit in silence with his older brother. Maybe it was just the aura she gave off. Maybe it was just because she was Hinata Hyuuga and he was in love with her.
So much so that just looking at her sitting here next to him seemingly without a care in the world, completely relaxed, made his heart swell enough to hurt. He felt a slight stinging in the back of his eyes that confused him. Hinata sitting next to him, just being there, looking so beautiful… he felt as though he was going to cry.
Hanabi huffed. "Ugh, this is so boring! They're just sitting there," she whined.
Neji, on the other hand, knew there was something much more serious happening, at least on the Uchiha's side. The way he was looking at his cousin wasn't the way a friend would look at another one. He had always had his suspicions and had always bickered with Sasuke about it since they were kids, but it looked as though the Uchiha was truly in love with Hinata.
He looked so serious and yet gentle as he gazed at her. He could see every twitch and flicker of his eyes and any movement of his facial features that he couldn't possibly miss. Surely, if Hinata had her doujutsu activated, she would see just how much the boy felt for her. The byakugan never missed emotions. Unfortunately, she only used it in a serious battle.
Out of the corner of his vision, he spotted another user. No doubt they also saw him and Hanabi. He looked as closely as he could and recognized it as another branch member Shou. He didn't think it made any sense for him to be spying on their heiress, so he needed to find out the reason. There was less than a handful of people who knew where she was going. Himself, Hanabi, and her father. There was no reason for Hiashi to keep tabs on her as he trusted her, but Neji could only assume that he mentioned her date to the Elders or someone else had and they decided to move of their own accord.
If that was the case, then they were just looking for any opportunity to push Hinata out of her birthright. However, he knew Shou and he could see how completely loyal he was to his little cousin. He didn't have any reason to doubt the fact that Shou did not want to spy on her but also knew they would just replace him with someone more willing. If that was the case, which he truly hoped it was, then they had nothing to worry about.
Just before the sun began setting, Sasuke took Hinata's hand and they walked toward the Hokage monument as they talked about how excited they were for tomorrow.
"You're fighting second, right?"
"Yes, that's right. And I believe your match is last," she replied.
"I'll be watching your matches closely. You and Naruto, you're the ones I'm most worried about." His grip on her hand tightened. "I like our team being equal, but…I also feel I should be much stronger than I currently am. I feel like I'm so far behind Itachi."
Hinata looked at him with sad eyes. "That's not true. He's still very much within your reach. And you don't have to measure your strength alone. You can add mine and Naruto's. You don't have to pursue him alone," she urged. She didn't want Sasuke to shoulder everything on his own, not when he had his team.
Sasuke sighed softly. "I think it's something I have to do on my own. I made a deal with him and I intend to keep my word, even if it is to him."
"You don't have to go alone, at the very least. We'll still go with you."
As they walked up the mountain, Sasuke smiled at her. "That's true. It may be my battle, but there's no reason I can't have company." The sun was about to start setting so they quickened their pace and took a seat atop their old sensei's carved face. Back when it was first carved, they all came out to stand on top of it and ended up finding a spot where they could see the entire village.
"I keep forgetting to mention but that Gaara guy came to one of my training sessions with Kakashi. He was checking me out," he said, "but he mentioned something."
"Was was it?"
"He said that my eyes were just like his. Filled with hatred and a thirst for power. What if he's right?" He asked. His tone didn't sound concerned but Hinata knew him better. Asking a question like that wasn't something the Uchiha did lightly.
She looked over at the setting sun. "It's so pretty here," she said as she took a seat, not answering the question directed at her. Sasuke did the same and easily held her hand again.
"It's not the prettiest thing here," he said smoothly. "I think you beat it by a long shot."
Hinata giggled, though the deep blush on her face told him she had enjoyed his comment. "That was kind of cheesy. But, you know, if your eyes were only filled with hatred, you wouldn't recognize something like that. You wouldn't be here with me right now. You're not filled with hatred, Sasuke. You're filled with determination and love. That's why bringing Itachi-san back home is so important to you. Because he's your brother and you love him, no matter what," she explained gently. She wanted him to know that there was nothing wrong with him, that he was just Sasuke Uchiha, that he was whoever he wanted to be.
He stared in subdued awe as she had spoken with such sincerity that the Uchiha felt his heart tighten. To know she had so much faith in him and his ability to bring Itachi back, made him want to hold her. He switched hands and put his arm around her shoulder, gently pulling her closer against his side, the scent of lavender and vanilla sweeping across his face. "I don't mean to be improper, but I just…wanted a moment to be close to you like this," he explained.
Hinata slowly and hesitantly settled into his side. "N-no, it's okay. I don't…mind."
The way she was talking told him that she was nervous, but the fact that she wasn't pulling away assured him that she wasn't lying. She was just being timid. Like before, he watched the way the colors of the sunset shone against her face and reflected off her eyes. He wished to watch the world through such kind eyes but would have to settle for how things were.
This time, Hinata caught him looking at her and smiled worriedly. "Are you okay?" She asked.
He nodded but said nothing more as he stared deeply into her eyes which were now a few inches away. His gaze flicked to her lips—soft, pink, and inviting—before moving back up to her eyes, asking for permission to press his lips against hers once again. He didn't want another kiss to happen between them unless she initiated it as he was afraid of pushing her away should he be too pushy.
Hinata's face went bright red and she averted her gaze, slightly shifting away. "I—I'm sorry, but I can't. Not out in public like this," she whispered. While they were on the training grounds, she had felt eyes on them and she knew that someone was keeping tabs on her. The first person that came to her mind was Danzo, but then she immediately eliminated him as she hadn't seen him since before. Next was her Elders, and that choice made much more sense as they were constantly looking for reasons to replace her with her sister. It was beginning to get tiresome.
Sasuke squeezed her shoulder. "I'm not mad, it's okay," he assured her. "I don't want to do the wrong thing, like kissing you without your permission again. I want it to be on your terms."
Hinata felt so entirely grateful for that, that she leaned her head on his shoulder and went back to watching the sunset. "Thank you, Sasuke. For understanding."
Sasuke pressed his face into her hair, lightly brushing a kiss against the locks that tickled his lips.
When she arrived home from her date, Sasuke leaving her body buzzing from the tight hug he'd given her, she greeted her father and went to her greenhouse for more studying before dinner. On her way there, she ran into Neji and Hanabi, who were meditating together. She briefly raised a brow at the plate of dango next to Neji before resuming her focus on her cousin.
She leaned against the open door of Hanabi's room. "Neji?" She called out.
Neji's eyes snapped open. "Yes, Hinata-sama?"
"May I have a word?" When Hanabi's eyes opened and landed on her, she smiled warmly. "I need to borrow brother for a few moments before I return to my own studying. Is that okay?"
Hanabi huffed. "You never wanna hang out with me, sister!" She pouted.
Hinata frowned just a bit. "We spend many mornings training together," she pointed out.
"But that's just training! I wanna do normal sister stuff, too, you know! Go out for food, shopping, talk boys, anything!"
Hinata moved forward and put her hand on Hanabi's cheek, stroking it gently. "You're right. After the chunin exam, let's have a girl's day, okay? How does that sound?" Hanabi's face lit up.
"Yes! There's this spa I've been wanting to go to. And a clothing store!" Hanabi sounded so happy that Hinata couldn't stop herself from hugging her tightly.
"I'll buy you anything you want, my precious little sister," she said and then planted a big kiss on Hanabi's head. The younger Hyuuga giggled and squeezed her sister tightly.
"Awesome! Now, go do what you have to do," she said, playfully pushing her older sister off of her. Neji watched the interaction with a small grin. How the Elders ever thought they could drive a wedge between them was a complete mystery, as Hinata as raised Hanabi as though she was her own child.
Hinata led Neji, who brought the plate of sweets with him, out to the garden where no one else came without her permission. "Brother, who did the Elders send to spy on me?" She asked. They all kept a good distance away, but she still felt eyes, and she knew he was also one of the people there, though for a different reason.
Neji smiled apologetically. "I apologize for being there, Hinata-sama," he said. "But it came in handy to notice the other member there. They sent Shou Hyuuga."
Hinata thought for a moment. "I see. He's a very talented shinobi and a kind, loyal person."
"He is loyal to you and Hiashi-sama, not the Elders," he assured her.
Hinata clasped her hands together, clutching tightly. "How much did he see?"
Neji averted his eyes and focused on the flowers that were blossoming beautifully. "I left after you both left the training grounds, but I believe he stayed to follow you. I don't think you have to worry about him reporting anything to them. Did you…do anything inappropriate?" He hated having to ask her this, but it was important that he know should he have to do anything to protect her from their Elders.
Hinata blushed. "Sasuke held me and he wanted to kiss me, but I…didn't allow him to. Even being right against his side was risky enough, especially knowing that there were eyes on us. I don't want to drag him into our family politics before we're married. That's still years away," she explained, holding back a sigh. "I didn't want to deny him too much as I didn't want to hurt our relationship or his feelings."
Neji was about to ask something, but then remembered his place and instead stayed silent. Hinata saw the look on his face and searched his eyes for a moment before her blush went darker.
"Yes," she said, answering the question he left unspoken. "I believe I wanted to." This was the first Hinata had alluded to having any feelings for the Uchiha and though some of him was shocked, most of him accepted it easily. As though he had already known.
The older Hyuuga nodded. "I understand, Hinata-sama. I will find Shou and talk with him, on my own accord. It has nothing to do with you."
Hinata smiled gratefully. "Thank you, brother." She nodded over in the direction of her greenhouse. "I'll be taking my leave now. I have much studying to do and I also have to go over my battle plan against Shino-kun."
"Of course. Good luck," he replied, bowing his head to her. Then, he held the plate out to her. "These are for you. As an apology for following you, of sorts." His cheeks were slightly red with embarrassment as she took the plate from him.
"You were just being protective, as it is a duty you take seriously. I will never fault you for that. I will, however, happily accept the dango." They shared a smile before she watched him disappear back inside the house.
She didn't bother to change out of her date clothes as she wasn't at all planning on getting dirty, so she headed to the greenhouse without making any detour. With the sun now lowered, she had around an hour before she was called for dinner. She needed to have studied plenty up by then as she wanted to spend more time with Hanabi before bedtime.
She took a seat on her stool and opened up her books and journals on the Kikaichu beetles that the Aburame family carried inside of them. She read a few paragraphs before pausing to make a cup of tea when she felt the air around her shift. Hinata spun around and came face to face with Itachi.
"Itachi-san," she said breathlessly. Immediately, she activated her byakugan to check the area for Shou, Neji, or anyone else. She deactivated it when she saw no one with their doujutsu activated.
"Hinata-san," the older Uchiha easily greeted. "The final stage of the chuunin exam is tomorrow, yes?"
"That's right. A lot has happened since we last saw each other," she admitted. She gestured to the other seat across from hers and waited as he took a seat. "We met Orochimaru in the second stage of the exam, in the Forest of Death."
Itachi's gaze hardened. "Tell me everything that happened."
"He fought with us and was especially focused on Sasuke. He wanted to see how strong he was. At the end of our battle, he…he bit Sasuke on the neck and marked him there. He tried to get me as well, but he didn't have enough time," she explained. "I saw the effects of it. It gave him immense strength with dark, tainted chakra. My theory is that he injected some of his chakra into Sasuke's system."
"Orochimaru has a band of followers with those marks. Not everyone survives, but those that do are capable of tapping into a forceful power that takes over the body," Itachi added. "He is the only one who can remove it."
"Kakashi-sensei sealed it, but the seal depends on Sasuke's will, whether he wants to keep it at bay or not. So far, he's been fine. Other than that incident after, with the Oto ninja, the mark hasn't really bothered him."
"I see. I hope he can continue to keep it at bay. I will do my own research on how to remove it. I'm glad he didn't also get to you. There's almost nothing he wants more than the Byakugan, and the fact that he ran into a member of the main house and didn't take the opportunity shows just how important Sasuke is to him."
Hinata looked up into his eyes. "Naruto and I have sworn to make Orochimaru's life as difficult as possible. We won't let him take Sasuke," she assured him. Itachi stared at her for a moment before nodding.
"I'll leave him to you, then. What will the matches be tomorrow, for your team?"
"Naruto will be fighting Neji first in the first battle. I will go second, against Shino Aburame, and Sasuke will go last against Gaara from Suna," she replied. "I know you cannot be there to watch, so I will tell you all about it the next time we meet."
"Thank you. You all have tough opponents, but I don't doubt any of you. I know you will be a chuunin the next time I see you," he said. Hinata smiled but it was uneasy. "What's wrong?"
Hinata clutched her skirt. "I just… No, I think I'm just overthinking things," she dismissed. She didn't want to bring up her worries about Orochimaru, especially to someone who couldn't do anything about it. "I actually have some news."
He gave a slight nod, silently telling her to go on, though she caught his gaze briefly moving to the plate of dango she had yet to finish before returning to her.
"I think I have discovered the name of your illness," she said. "I can't be positive but nearly all your symptoms match its description. The next step will be to basically turn off your immune system since that's what seems to be attacking your body."
"My immune system?" He asked.
"Yes. I'm currently waiting for a plant that will help to do that, it should help your body. However, because you very much need your immune system I have begun making numerous tablets for you to consume until you're completely cured," she explained excitedly.
It was clear to Itachi that she had been doing extensive research to find a cure for him and she was happy that it had paid off. The corner of his lips ticked up just barely.
"Thank you, Hinata-san," he said, voice more sincere than it has been since the last time he'd spoken to her. "I will be waiting patiently."
"Once I have everything in order, I'll explain all the medications in detail to you." Next, she reached across her desk and held a few vials out to him. Itachi took them and looked closely at the clear liquid. "I also have this for you. I've perfected the eye strain medication."
"I see. That's very impressive," he replied.
"It's going to burn quite a bit when you put it in, but that's the only side effect so far and it only lasts a minute. Put this in three times a day, six hours apart and it should help with your impending blindness. It hasn't been tested on a sharingan, so I'm afraid you'll have to be my test subject on that as well," she laughed sheepishly.
Itachi nodded. "I don't mind. It's the least I can do for pulling you into all of this," he said. He held a vial out to her. "Do you mind putting it in for me?"
She took it and moved closer, standing between his legs. When he looked up at her, their faces felt like they were just as close as she'd been to Sasuke earlier that evening. She held his face still and slowly added three drops to each eye, watching as his gaze held hers steadily. Even after she was done and could move away, she hesitated when Itachi closed his eyes as the burning began. She took a moment to look closely at his face, her hand still on his cheek, and briefly imagined her life being very different.
"Itachi-san?" She whispered. Though his eyes were closed, he could feel her closeness and her eyes on his face. "Does it hurt a lot?"
He shook his head. "Not so much," he replied quietly. "You're dressed differently today. Was there a special occasion?" The change of subject seemed too swift, he knew, but the air around them had noticeably shifted and he needed to put distance between them again.
At this, Hinata immediately took a few steps back, putting distance between them physically as guilt surged through her body. "I went on a date with Sasuke today. It was nice."
Itachi slowly opened his eyes and then blinked a few times to focus his sight. "I'm happy to hear he's taking you out, at least. Sasuke's never been much for things like that, but he's been taking his duties seriously. That's good," he said.
Hinata clenched her fists and handed the vial back to him a bit harder than necessary. "Yes. He didn't just abandon them, you're very right," she said curtly.
Itachi didn't even flinch, as though he had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Hinata had always been kind, but he didn't just hurt his family when he left. He also hurt the girl standing before him, trying to clear his name and keep him alive.
"I know," he said softly.
Hinata turned her back to him. "I didn't even realize anything was wrong until I found that I couldn't start accepting Sasuke into my heart because I was terrified he was also going to leave," she said. "I'd gotten used to being by your side. I had fully accepted the fact that I was going to marry you and have your children. We were going to be a family. And then you were gone. I know it had nothing to do with me, but I still had to pick up the pieces."
It wasn't as though she was in love with the elder Uchiha. She wasn't in love with anyone, really. But she had been prepared to spend her life with him, as a friend and life companion. She had come to expect it. It had been confusing when he left.
"Hinata-san," he said. "Please look at me." When she made no move to listen to his request, he reached out and grabbed her hand. Slowly, he pulled her until she was standing in front of him again and he held her other hand. He looked up into her eyes and though there were no tears, he could see the sorrow buried behind the wall she had built. Because of him.
"I had longed to stay in the village. To stay with my family, and to fulfill our contract. To stay with you. The way things happened, it was very fast, but I assure you that I had also gotten used to the idea of having you as my wife. You were my friend and understood me," he admitted. "But there would have been problems between us even if I had stayed."
"Wh—what do you mean?" She asked feebly.
"I'm sure you know how Sasuke feels about you. I would do anything for my little brother, including going against my family if it meant he would be happy," he explained. Her grip on his hands tightened and she lowered her head. She couldn't argue with him because she would also do anything to ensure Hanabi's happiness.
"I understand how you feel. Hanabi, she's my world."
He let go of one of her hands and reached up to cup her cheek gently. "I apologize for having to leave you behind, but I do believe things are better this way."
Hinata slightly leaned into his touch, wanting to remember the moment as touch was something Itachi didn't do lightly. He had always only touched her at critical moments, even back then. "He's going to bring you home, Itachi-san. I have faith in that. And I will do my part behind the scenes," she promised. "Although Sasuke may not want to be with me after he learns we've been meeting like this."
Itachi sighed softly. "He'll be upset, but he'll eventually understand." After another few moments, he pulled his hands away and that fragile but durable wall he kept between them at all times reappeared. "I must be leaving now."
She stepped back and leaned against her desk with a blush staining her cheeks. "Please, stay safe." Then she grabbed one of the sticks of dango and held it out to him. "It's nice to see that some things haven't changed."
Itachi gratefully took it from her with a twitch of his lips and then moved for the door. "Hinata-san, about tomorrow…"
She looked up at his back and he turned around enough for her to see his eyes that held nothing but regret. "Yes?"
"I'm very sorry."
Before she could reply, he vanished and she was left alone to decipher what he could possibly mean.
Hi! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and the scenes with her and Sasuke, and then her and Itachi. I really enjoy writing them out. Next chapter will be the final chapter of this arc and filled with Naruto vs Neji and Hinata vs Neji. Because I am following pretty closely to the OG, especially during this point, I'm not going to be writing any fights that were shown in the anime, such as Temari vs Shikamaru, etc.
Please let us know what you think! Also check out the pinned post on our tumblr for fics we're going to be writing in the future. We have them split into different ship categories :)! So far we have plans for more sasuhina, some itahina, naruhina, and shikahina. That's just for now though! If there's anything you'd like us to add to the list, message us!
-hina
NEXT UPDATE: 01/06/24